Portable power attachment for washing machines



Sept. 6, 193&- A. w. ALTORFER 2,128,979

PORTABLE POWER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Nov. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTUR.

AM-wwT M/ Air's-r5 Sept. 6, 1938.- A. w. ALTORFER 2,128,979

PORTABLE POWER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Nov. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvznrcna.

A'IIYE.

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PORTABLE POWER ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Alpheus W. Altorfer, Peoria, Ill. Application November 29, 1935, Serial No. 52,139

4 Claims.

This invention has reference to portable power attachments for washing machinesand has for its object to provide a power unit suitable for use in driving washers, iro-ners or other power oper- 5 ated devices, which is provided with special means of driving connection with a washing ma.- chine, and a washing machine having special cooperative means for attachment to the power unit whereby the power unit may be quickly attached to the washing machine or detached therefrom to become available for use in drivin other devices.

Domestic washing machines, ironers and the like are conventionally provided with electric drives, there being a small motor incorporated with each device. The convenience and utility of such an arrangement is unquestioned.

However, there are many localities, such as on farms, country places and the like, where electricity is not available, and without other means of driving them, power driven domestic laundry devices could not be used.

In order to make such equipment available tothose located away from electric supply lines, manufacturers have sup-plied the devices equipped with small combustion motors Machines equipped with these small power plants are widely and successfully used.

It will be apparent however that washing machines equipped with gasoline motors must be sold at a considerably higher price due to the difference in cost of electric and gasoline motors.

The higher price obviously restricts the sale of such devices.

In order to make domestic washing machines and the like available at a reasonable price I provide a washing machine Without an individual power plant, but with special means of connecting it with a power plant, which latter has means of connection with the washer and which is also adapted for use in driving other devices.

By the use of my invention, washing machines, ironers, and the like, may be purchased without motors and the purchaser may distribute the extra cost of the power plant between. the several devices to be operated by it. Thus, a. single power plant is made to answer the purpose of several individual power units, and those deprived of electricity may enjoy the convenience of modern laundry equipment without unreasonable investment.

In carrying out my invention I utilize mechanisms and structures described in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational View showing a washing machine and power unit arranged for practical use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the power unit and supporting carriage; 5 Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional plan view showing details of mechanism to be described;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental elevational view, partly in section, of the parts included in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view taken on line 55 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows the apparatus embodying my invention assembled ready for use.

it designates a conventional washing machine structure including a tub H supported on legs l2, also a wringer post l3.

The structures of washing machines are thought sufficiently well known to obviate detail description herein.

The washing machine is assumed to include operating mechanisms for driving the working parts and the latter include a primary driving element shown inFigs. 3 and 4 as comprising a shaft M journalled in a tubular stem portion [5 of the housing structure which is attached to the washing machine frame structure.

Shaft 14 carries a worm I6 which meshes with a worm gear ll which in turn is connected so as to drive the washing and wringing mechanism.

The particular washing machine drive shown is for illustration only and is not a part of the present invention. My invention may obviously be applied to any type of mechanism that includes a primary drive element equal tothe shaft i l.

The housing structure stem l5 extends outwardly from the washing machine as shown in Fig. 1. Its structure is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

At a point a distance back from the outer end is a. shoulder portion l8 extending around the lower half of the stem and the stem terminates in a tubular head portion i9 having a contracted end diameter.

Within the end l9, and secured to the con,- tracted end of shaft 114, is a clutch part 2!] adapted to be engaged by a co-operative part H which has a central opening adapted to receive the ex- 15. tending end of shaft M in slidable relation'as will be noted hereafter.

The clutch part 2| is attached, by means of a tubular part 22, to a hub or collar structure 23 which includes an annular flange portion 24.

The above described mechanism will be referred to later.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 1 and 2 which show a power unit 25, which may be of any suitable type but is here shown as a combustion motor.

The power unit is supported on an under shelf 26 of a table structure which includes a topportion 21, legs 23 and casters 29.

The table top is obviously adapted to support a basket, tub or the like and the table structure, carrying the power unit, obviously is a portable unit.

The power unit would conventionally include one or two pulleys 30 and 3| which are useful for belt drive connection with various devices.

In Fig. 5 I show that the web portion of pulley 31 is provided with slots 32 which are enlarged at one end and contracted at the other.

The flange portion 24 of hub 23 carries shouldered screws 33, the shoulder portion being so dimensioned as to include the thickness of the web of the pulley, whereby the heads of the screws lie adjacent the opposite side of the web as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

It will now become apparent that the structure including clutch part 2|, tube 22, and hub 23 may be attached in driving relationship with pulley 30 by inserting the heads of screws 33 through the enlarged portion of slots 32 and turning the unit so as to bring the screws into the contracted end, as shown in Fig. 5. Assuming the pulley to be driving in the direction of the arrow, it will be apparent that the foregoing arrangement provides a firm connection between the parts. Separation of the parts is easily accomplished by manipulation of the collar unit in the opposite order.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that stem portion I9 is provided with a recess 34 which is adapted to receive the lower end of a latching bar 35. The bar is supported for vertical movement in a bracket member 36 and a coil spring 31 resiliently urges the bar toward engagement in the recess. A handle portion 38 is accessible for manipulation of the bar.

With the parts arranged as in Fig. 4 the bar 35 is obviously effective to hold the stem l5 and the washing machine in locked relation with the table and power unit. It will further be obvious that bar 35 may be elevated to unlock the stem, whereupon the washing machine and the table unit may be separated. There being no locked attachment between the clutch parts 28 and 2|, the stem l5 may be easily withdrawn.

To reunite the structures it is but necessary to arrange the units so that the contracted end of the stem lies opposite an aligned opening in the table framing part 40 and move it inward until the latch bar 35 falls into locking position.

In practical use, when the washing machine, or other device, is not attached for driving through the clutch mechanism it is desirable to disconnect the collar 23 unit from the pulley 3!! so that there will be no rotating parts dangerously near the outside of the table. In this situation the collar unit is separated from the pulley by the means already described whereupon it lies motionless while the power unit remains in operation.

To hold the collar unit in position convenient for re-attachment, I provide a housing ring 4| which is supported on the table framework by means of a bracket 42.

The housing ring is dimensioned to fit loosely around the collar unit so as to permit free movement of the collar unit therein, and when the collar unit is disconnected it is loosely supported by the housing ring.

To avoid movement of the collar unit toward accidental engagement with pulley 30 I provide a spring 43 which reacts between the end of the motor shaft 44 and a pin 45 secured in the collar unit. The spring tends to hold the collar unit away when the latter is disengaged, and also has the obvious function of holding the collar unit in assembled relationship when it is arranged for driving connection.

The foregoing is thought to make clear that any device having the connecting elements described may be quickly and easily placed in driving relationship with the power unit. When such connection is desired, the collar unit is first connected with pulley 30 and thereafter the head [9 is pushed into position whereupon the structures are locked together and the clutch parts 20 and 2| are placed in driving relationship.

Modifications of structure of the above described devices are obviously possible without alteration of the principles involved. I do not wish to be limited in structure except within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a portable power device of the character described, the combination with a portable table structure including a relatively fiat top for supporting articles, a plurality of supporting legs and a relatively horizontal shelf-like support disposed below and in spaced relation to said top and carried by certain of said legs, of a primemover supported upon said shelf-like support, a power drive shaft extending horizontally from and connected with said prime-mover at one end, the other end of said drive shaft extending to a place adjacent to one side of the table structure, a guard plate extending transversely of said drive shaft at said table side, said plate having an aperture in register with the second said end of said drive shaft, and of a power utilizing device disposed adjacent to said table structure, said power utilizing device including a driven shaft and a housing member surrounding said driven shaft and adapted to extend into said aperture in said guard plate, interengaging coupling means on said drive and driven shafts, and means associated with said plate and detachably engageable with said housing member for retaining said drive and driven shafts in operative relationship.

2. The combination with a machine to be driven and a carrier for a prime mover adapted to be moved into and out of driving relation to the said machine, of a horizontal drive shaft for said machine equipped at one end with a tooth-clutch member, a bearing for said shaft equipped with a terminal sleeve housing said clutch member, a horizontal shaft actuated by said prime mover and equipped at its outer end with a tooth-clutch member adapted to be telescopically received in said terminal sleeve of said bearing and engaged with said first named clutch member, and cooperating manually operable latching means on said sleeve and said carrier for said prime mover for maintaining the latter disposed in the position wherein said clutch elements are interengaged.

3. The combination with the frame of a machine to be driven and a portable frame constituting a carrier for 'a prime mover for actuating said machine, of a pair of horizontal shafts associated with said machine and said prime mover respectively and disposed at equal elevations on the machine frame and carrier respectively, said shafts equipped at their ends with interengageable clutch members and one thereof journalled in a bearing equipped with a terminal sleeve housing the clutch member of the last-named shaft and adapted to receive telescopically the clutch member of the other shaft, said sleeve and the frame carrying the other of said shafts equipped with cooperating manually operable latching means for maintaining said frames in the relative positions requisite to maintain said clutch elements interengaged.

4. The combination with the supporting frame of a machine to be driven and a horizontal drive shaft therefor, a portable carrier for a prime mover and a horizontal shaft driven by the latter, of interengageable clutch members on said respective shafts, a bearing for one of the latter equipped with a terminal sleeve housing the clutch member thereof and adapted to receive telescopically the clutch member of the other shaft when said frame and carrier are disposed in the relative positions required to effect interengagement of said clutch members, there being a recess in said sleeve constituting a latch element and a spring-held manually releasing companion latch element disposed for cooperation with said recess to maintain said frame and carrier in the said relative positions required for maintaining said clutch elements interengaged.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER. 

